History 2.2 AS 90466 Communicate Historical Ideas to demonstrate understanding of an historical context "Descent Into Madness" Why did WW1 happen?
Historical Context: World War One and its Origins.
Historical Ideas: Patriotism, militarism, imperialism, nationalism
Clarification Document for History - level 2 AS90466
Communicate historical ideas to demonstrate understanding of an historical context
Assessors are reminded that Achievement Standards must always be read in conjunction with the Explanatory Notes. Unless an Explanatory Note contains terms such as 'could include' or 'e.g.' the requirements of the Explanatory Notes are mandatory.
In many cases it is not possible to be specific as to requirements at the national level. Very often the context will determine what is appropriate. In these cases assessors need to make a professional judgement that takes into account such aspects as the degree of difficulty of the history being studied and the range and nature of evidence available. Whether the assessor's judgements are accurate according to the national standard can be verified in the external moderation process and adjustments made by assessors, if necessary, next time the Standard is assessed. Please note that assessors may at any time, submit up to ten additional pieces of student work, so that they can ask specific questions about making assessor judgements.
This document aims clarify many of the points raised in various past National Moderator annual reports.
Achievement
Achievement with Merit
Achievement with Excellence
Communicate clearly some relevant key historical ideas, with accurate supporting evidence, to demonstrate understanding of the historical context.
Communicate clearly a range of relevant key historical ideas, with accurate supporting evidence, to demonstrate depth and/or breadth of understanding of the historical context.
Communicate clearly a range of relevant key historical ideas, with accurate supporting evidence, to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the historical context.
Present historical ideas and evidence, applying some features of an appropriate historical format and/or style.
Present historical ideas and evidence, applying most features of an appropriate historical format and/or style.
Present historical ideas and evidence, consistently applying features of an appropriate historical format and/or style.
Use appropriate historical conventions.
Use appropriate historical conventions accurately.
Use appropriate historical conventions consistently and accurately.
The First Achievement Criterion
For the first achievement criterion, note that Explanatory Note 4 of the Achievement Standard does not allow the standard to be awarded for communicating narrative only. Key ideas that have supporting evidence are required for each level of achievement.
For a discussion of what is meant by key ideas and supporting evidence please see the clarification of key historical ideas with supporting evidence.
The requirements at Merit and Excellence level are that key ideas and evidence demonstrate understanding of the topic. Requirements at those levels do not concern the volume of evidence communicated.
Communicating key ideas with evidence is taken as being sufficient for explicitly identifying those ideas (see Explanatory Note 3 of the Achievement Standard). This means that students are not required specifically to identify their key historical ideas (for example, by highlighting or underlining). If the assessor can identify key ideas and supporting evidence that meets the standard, then the standard may be awarded. If a student attempts to identify key ideas, but the identification is not accurate, the standard may still be awarded at any achievement level if there ARE, nevertheless, key ideas present in the evidence. The most common form of supporting evidence for key historical ideas is text written by the student which communicates his/her expansion of the key ideas. However, it may also be in the form of photographs, quotations, graphs, maps, etc.
What constitutes a 'range' of relevant key historical ideas (required for Merit and Excellence levels) will be governed by the historical context and the nature of the communication.
At Level 2 the key ideas and supporting evidence that are communicated need to demonstrate a student's understandings of the context. Note that the standard requires that level of understanding is to be taken into account. The requirements vary from Achievement up to Excellence level, so assessors must use their professional judgement about the degree of understanding communicated. Where the use of more than minimal plagiarism can be proved, the standard should not be awarded since the student's own understandings are not being communicated.
The Second Achievement Criterion
For the second achievement criterion, only 'some features' of the required format are required for credit at Achievement level.
Teachers need to ensure that the features of formats and styles that may be required for this Achievement Standard are presented to students as part of the teaching and learning process. For instance, it should not be taken for granted that students will know how a lawyer might address a court or how a This Is Your Life programme is presented (or even what a newspaper looks like).
For the communication of formats such as newspaper front pages or magazine articles, students often use modern formats. Unless more historically accurate formats have been both taught and specifically required in the assessment materials, students should not be penalised for having a format that is not historically accurate. Conversely, when a student has, through his/her own researching, discovered the historically accurate format, assessors should take that into account while making an holistic judgement for the second achievement criterion.
Apart from format/style considerations, evidence communicated should largely be appropriate - a professional judgement is required on this. For instance, when making an overall assessment judgement regarding the front page of a newspaper that purports to have been printed during World War I, an advertisement for computers would be considered inappropriate.
Occasionally the question arises as to the appropriateness of evidence provided in a slide show (such as PowerPoint). Since the nature of PowerPoint is to provide key ideas rather than lots of detail, presentations that contain a large number of slides that contain extensive text, probably in a very small font, could be deemed 'inappropriate'. Assessors need to ensure that the format of communication that is required will not prevent achievement of the second achievement criterion. This can apply, also, in the case of a pamphlet being the required communication format. Especially in the case where a pamphlet is handwritten, the format may prevent the student from providing sufficient evidence to achieve. In the case of PowerPoint presentations, assessors may wish to consider requiring students to use the 'Notes' function of the program (available at the foot of each slide). In that case, key ideas could be provided on each slide (which also responds very well to the requirements of the first achievement criterion) and evidence that supports these key ideas provided in the Notes section. If the presentation is printed out for assessment (and moderation) purposes, each slide and its accompanying 'Notes' can be printed together.
If the required format is an oral presentation of some kind, please ensure, with a prior test, that the evidence recorded for moderation purposes is clearly audible.
The Third Achievement Criterion
For the third achievement criterion, appropriate historical conventions used may be determined by the nature of the activity and '... could include the correct use of names, titles, dates, numbers, terms, footnotes, bibliography' (Explanatory Note 9 of the Achievement Standard). Since the Explanatory Note is imprecise, assessors need to make a professional judgement on the matter. As elsewhere, the assumption is made that when students are required in task instructions to conform to historical conventions, what is meant by appropriate use of numbers, names, dates, etc., will have been taught as part of the teaching and learning programme.
If a task's instructions have not specifically required a bibliography (which may be appropriate with some communication formats, such as a pamphlet, or perhaps the use of bibliographies has already been demonstrated for another Achievement Standard) then students should not be unduly penalised, and perhaps not penalised at all. The omission of a bibliography should be taken into account as part of an holistic judgement regarding the use of historical conventions. In the same way, if a bibliography has been specifically required, but not provided, this does not automatically mean that the judgement for the third achievement criterion must be Not Achieved. Historians justifiably place emphasis on the importance of a bibliography. However, if a student demonstrates in various other ways that there is a clear understanding of other historical conventions then the standard may still be able to be awarded.
The question also arises as to whether a bibliography, provided but incorrectly formatted, is to be penalised. Again, this needs to become part of an holistic judgement concerning the use of historical conventions. If bibliographic formatting has been specifically taught then the assessor judgement regarding historical formatting may place more weight on this particular inaccuracy.
Must Not Be An Essay
Explanatory Note 10 requires that the format of communication for this Achievement Standard must not be an essay. When assessors require a format such as 'a report' or 'an article' instructions need to ensure that requirements clearly differentiate the format from that of an essay. This will ensure that students are clear that an essay format is not acceptable. « previous
History 2.2 AS 90466 Communicate Historical Ideas to demonstrate understanding of an historical context "Descent Into Madness" Why did WW1 happen?
Historical Context: World War One and its Origins.
Historical Ideas: Patriotism, militarism, imperialism, nationalism
Clarification Document for History - level 2 AS90466
Communicate historical ideas to demonstrate understanding of an historical context
Assessors are reminded that Achievement Standards must always be read in conjunction with the Explanatory Notes. Unless an Explanatory Note contains terms such as 'could include' or 'e.g.' the requirements of the Explanatory Notes are mandatory.In many cases it is not possible to be specific as to requirements at the national level. Very often the context will determine what is appropriate. In these cases assessors need to make a professional judgement that takes into account such aspects as the degree of difficulty of the history being studied and the range and nature of evidence available. Whether the assessor's judgements are accurate according to the national standard can be verified in the external moderation process and adjustments made by assessors, if necessary, next time the Standard is assessed. Please note that assessors may at any time, submit up to ten additional pieces of student work, so that they can ask specific questions about making assessor judgements.
This document aims clarify many of the points raised in various past National Moderator annual reports.
The First Achievement Criterion
For the first achievement criterion, note that Explanatory Note 4 of the Achievement Standard does not allow the standard to be awarded for communicating narrative only. Key ideas that have supporting evidence are required for each level of achievement.For a discussion of what is meant by key ideas and supporting evidence please see the clarification of key historical ideas with supporting evidence.
The requirements at Merit and Excellence level are that key ideas and evidence demonstrate understanding of the topic. Requirements at those levels do not concern the volume of evidence communicated.
Communicating key ideas with evidence is taken as being sufficient for explicitly identifying those ideas (see Explanatory Note 3 of the Achievement Standard). This means that students are not required specifically to identify their key historical ideas (for example, by highlighting or underlining). If the assessor can identify key ideas and supporting evidence that meets the standard, then the standard may be awarded. If a student attempts to identify key ideas, but the identification is not accurate, the standard may still be awarded at any achievement level if there ARE, nevertheless, key ideas present in the evidence. The most common form of supporting evidence for key historical ideas is text written by the student which communicates his/her expansion of the key ideas. However, it may also be in the form of photographs, quotations, graphs, maps, etc.
What constitutes a 'range' of relevant key historical ideas (required for Merit and Excellence levels) will be governed by the historical context and the nature of the communication.
At Level 2 the key ideas and supporting evidence that are communicated need to demonstrate a student's understandings of the context. Note that the standard requires that level of understanding is to be taken into account. The requirements vary from Achievement up to Excellence level, so assessors must use their professional judgement about the degree of understanding communicated. Where the use of more than minimal plagiarism can be proved, the standard should not be awarded since the student's own understandings are not being communicated.
The Second Achievement Criterion
For the second achievement criterion, only 'some features' of the required format are required for credit at Achievement level.Teachers need to ensure that the features of formats and styles that may be required for this Achievement Standard are presented to students as part of the teaching and learning process. For instance, it should not be taken for granted that students will know how a lawyer might address a court or how a This Is Your Life programme is presented (or even what a newspaper looks like).
For the communication of formats such as newspaper front pages or magazine articles, students often use modern formats. Unless more historically accurate formats have been both taught and specifically required in the assessment materials, students should not be penalised for having a format that is not historically accurate. Conversely, when a student has, through his/her own researching, discovered the historically accurate format, assessors should take that into account while making an holistic judgement for the second achievement criterion.
Apart from format/style considerations, evidence communicated should largely be appropriate - a professional judgement is required on this. For instance, when making an overall assessment judgement regarding the front page of a newspaper that purports to have been printed during World War I, an advertisement for computers would be considered inappropriate.
Occasionally the question arises as to the appropriateness of evidence provided in a slide show (such as PowerPoint). Since the nature of PowerPoint is to provide key ideas rather than lots of detail, presentations that contain a large number of slides that contain extensive text, probably in a very small font, could be deemed 'inappropriate'. Assessors need to ensure that the format of communication that is required will not prevent achievement of the second achievement criterion. This can apply, also, in the case of a pamphlet being the required communication format. Especially in the case where a pamphlet is handwritten, the format may prevent the student from providing sufficient evidence to achieve. In the case of PowerPoint presentations, assessors may wish to consider requiring students to use the 'Notes' function of the program (available at the foot of each slide). In that case, key ideas could be provided on each slide (which also responds very well to the requirements of the first achievement criterion) and evidence that supports these key ideas provided in the Notes section. If the presentation is printed out for assessment (and moderation) purposes, each slide and its accompanying 'Notes' can be printed together.
If the required format is an oral presentation of some kind, please ensure, with a prior test, that the evidence recorded for moderation purposes is clearly audible.
The Third Achievement Criterion
For the third achievement criterion, appropriate historical conventions used may be determined by the nature of the activity and '... could include the correct use of names, titles, dates, numbers, terms, footnotes, bibliography' (Explanatory Note 9 of the Achievement Standard). Since the Explanatory Note is imprecise, assessors need to make a professional judgement on the matter. As elsewhere, the assumption is made that when students are required in task instructions to conform to historical conventions, what is meant by appropriate use of numbers, names, dates, etc., will have been taught as part of the teaching and learning programme.If a task's instructions have not specifically required a bibliography (which may be appropriate with some communication formats, such as a pamphlet, or perhaps the use of bibliographies has already been demonstrated for another Achievement Standard) then students should not be unduly penalised, and perhaps not penalised at all. The omission of a bibliography should be taken into account as part of an holistic judgement regarding the use of historical conventions. In the same way, if a bibliography has been specifically required, but not provided, this does not automatically mean that the judgement for the third achievement criterion must be Not Achieved. Historians justifiably place emphasis on the importance of a bibliography. However, if a student demonstrates in various other ways that there is a clear understanding of other historical conventions then the standard may still be able to be awarded.
The question also arises as to whether a bibliography, provided but incorrectly formatted, is to be penalised. Again, this needs to become part of an holistic judgement concerning the use of historical conventions. If bibliographic formatting has been specifically taught then the assessor judgement regarding historical formatting may place more weight on this particular inaccuracy.
Must Not Be An Essay
Explanatory Note 10 requires that the format of communication for this Achievement Standard must not be an essay. When assessors require a format such as 'a report' or 'an article' instructions need to ensure that requirements clearly differentiate the format from that of an essay. This will ensure that students are clear that an essay format is not acceptable.« previous